Mixing chamber for suction cleaners



A. M. M GUIRE MIXING CHAMBER FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Aug. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1949 V J f INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS Aug. 28,1951 McGUlRE MIXING CHAMBER FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1949 INV NTOR.

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, cmmflmmw m ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1951 MDCIN G CHAMBER FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Arthur M. McGuire, Philadelphia, 1a., assignor to Hydroway, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 1; 1949, Serial No. 96,610

7 Claims.

This invention relates to mixing chambers for suction cleaners and more particularly to such mixing chambers for mixing the dust and dirt in the air stream from a suction cleaner with water and then discharging the mixture to drain.

Heretofore, I have proposed several different types of suction cleaners discharging the dust and dirt into a water mixer for mixing the same with water and thereafter discharging the mixture to drain. These cleaners have been most efiicient in operation and very desirable from the point of View of the user in that no bag of dust or dirt must be emptied by hand nor need any tank of mixed water and dust or dirt be manually emptied. There is an additional advantage to the use of my cleaners in that the air which is discharged from the mixing chamber is purified and humidified before being discharged into the surrounding atmosphere.

I havealso proposed several different types of mixing chambers for use with my suction cleaners and all of these are adapted to be used with conventional types of domestic sinks, wash basins and bathtubs. In some of these the water inlet to the mixing chamber must be physically afifixed to a water faucet or water tap and in others no physical connection is required between the water faucet or water tap and the mixing chamber. It is to the latter type of mixing chamber that the present invention pertains so that the same may be used with all modern types of plumbing in which the discharge orifice for the Water valve is built into the face of the sink or basin and discharges the water into the sink or basin in a generally downward and outward direction without using a nozzle type of faucet.

By the present invention I hav provided a novel water mixing chamber which can be used withall types of faucets and sinks or basins without the necessity of manually connecting the same to a water discharge orifice.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel water mixing chamber for use with suction cleaners which can receive water from all types of faucets without any type of manual connection therewith.

Another object is to provide such a mixing chamber in which the dust and dirt entrained in the air stream from the cleaner is efliciently and completely mixed with the water and the mixture is thereafter discharged from the mixing chamber to drain without spraying or splattering of Water as it leaves the discharge orifices of the chamber and which is so constructed and arranged that it is impossible for any of the entrained dust and dirt to escape from the mixing chamber without first being mixed with Water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a mixing chamber in which the water intakev is so arranged and baflled that the air coming into the mixing chamber in no way interferes with the flow of water therethrough.

Another object is to provide such a mixing chamber in which a porous receptacle is provided in the base of the chamber to prevent the water in the mixing chamber from being splashed upwardly to mix with the incoming entrained dust and dirt before the same is discharged into the porous receptacle.

Another object is to provide such a mixing chamber which is of simple construction and which may be readily dismounted and assembled by th users of the same for cleaning purposes.

Another object is to provide such a mixing chamber in which larger particles of dust and dirt are trapped before entering the water in the mixing chamber to prevent clogging of the drain and are retained in the mixing chamber in such a way that there is no decrease in the operational efficiency of the same.

Another object of th present invention is to provide such a mixing chamber in which there is a free flow of air therethrough at all times and yet one which will completely and efliciently remove all dust and dirt from the air passing therethrough.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a mixing chamber which can be readily and cheaply manufactured and which will be efiicient in operation under all operating condltions.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description thereof.

The novel mixing chamber of the present invention is capable of variou mechanical mbodiments one of which is shown in the accompanying drawings and is described hereinafter for the purposes of illustrating the same. The description of this illustrative embodiment of my invention should in no way be construed as defining or limiting the same and reference should be had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts.

Fig. l is a general View of a suction cleaner of the type which I have previously proposed showing the same ber;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation mixing chamber of Fig. 1; and

of the novel in use with my novel mixing cham- Fig. 3 is an expanded view of the novel mixing chamber of Fig. 1 showing the several parts thereof.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, a suction cleaner is there shown comprising a cleanin head In connected by an expansible and contractible corrugated rubber hose II to the intake [2 of any suitable air pump, not shown, but housed in housing I3 and driven by electric motor I4 and provided with a discharge I5. Discharge I5 is connected by a second expansible and contractible corrugated rubber hose IE to my novel mixing chamber shown generally at I1 and mounted in a sink or basin i8 provided with a drain I9 and a water tap 20. When motor I4 is energized the air pump in housing I3 creates a suction in inlet i2 and hose II. When cleaning head II! is moved over a surface to be cleaned the conventional manner dust and dirt from said surface is entrained in the air pulled through the cleaning head Id and this air with entrained dust and dirt is discharged through discharge #5 into hose I8 and into mixer [1.

As will be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, mixer I'I comprises a lower cylindrical receptacle 2I which 18 provided with a bottom 22 and which is mounted upon suction cups 23 so that the same will be retained in position in sink I8. Receptacle 2I is bulged circumferentially at 24 at the point of junction between its side walls and bottom 22. The upper end of receptacle 2I is open and is provided with an inturned circumferentially disposed flange 25. A water intake 26 is provided adjacent the upper edge of receptacle 2! and is more or less semispherical in form and is open at its top 21' so that water discharged from any type of spigot or tap can readily fall into it. A bafile 28 is provided within receptacle 2I behind intake 25 to prevent air from escaping therethrough. Baffle 28 preferably lies in close contact with the inner surface of receptacle 2i and is provided at its lower end with a raised portion 29 which permits easy egress of the water therefrom.

Air and water discharge vents 33 are let into the sides of receptacle 2| on both sides of intake 25 and extend through approximately threequarters of the circumference of receptacle 2|. Baiiies 31 are secured to the outside of receptacle 21 above vents 3d and are so disposed with respect thereto that any water and air discharged through vents 3c in an upward direction will impinge against them and will be deflected downwardly thus preventing splattering of water through vents 3b. Bafiles SI also provide convenient hand holds for lifting and carrying the mixing chamber i'i. Any suitable means maybe provided for securing baflles 3I to receptacle 3i and are here shown as rivets 32.

A cup-shaped vessel 33 provided with an outturned circumferentially disposed upper flange 34 is mounted within receptacle 21 and is of reduced diameter at 35. Vessel 33 extends downwardly within vessel 2! to a point just above the upper edges of vents 3i} and terminates in an inturned circumferentially disposed flange 36. A circular aperture 3? is provided within flange 3'5. Flanges 25 and E i are separated by a suitable ring type gasket 33 to form a fluid and airtight seal therebetween.

A filter housing 39 is mounted within vessel 33 and is secured therein by welding or by any other suitable means to form an airtight connection therewith. Housing 39 is closed by top 4!). Top 40. is centrally apertured at 4! and aperture M is surrounded by upstanding collar 42. Hose I5 is connected to collar 42 through elbow 43 which is suitably secured within hose I6 and is a tight slip fit within collar 42.

Filter housing 39 and vessel 33 are secured within vessel 2| by any suitable means here shown as manually operable latches 44 of known type secured to housing 39 and engaging catches 45 secured to vessel 2I. The action of latches 44 is arranged so that flanges 34 and 25 will be forced together and into gasket 38 to form a seal therewith when latches 44 are in locked position.

A cylindrical filter 46 made of wire screening or other suitable material is mounted within housing 39 and vessel 33. Filter 46 is open at its upper end 41 where it abuts top 40 and is closed by a bottom 48 which is made of the same type of screening material as filter 46. Spring clips 49 are secured to filter 46 at 50 and are provided with outwardly disposed fingers 5| to engage flange 35 to hold filter 46 in position. Bottom 48 of filter 4% lies just above the upper surface of flange 35. The diameter of filter 45 is so chosen that adequate air passage is provided between filter 46 and vessel 43 and between filter 43 and flange 36.

A cup-shaped porous member 52 is mounted within vessel 2 I. The outer diameter of member 52 is so chosen that a substantial space is left between the outer surface of member 52 and vessel 2i to permit water to stand therebetween. Porous member 52 may be made from sponge rubber or from any of the synthetic porous spongelike resilient compounds which are on the market today. The height of member 52 is so chosen that when vessel 33 is in position within vessel 2I flange 35 will bear upon the upper surface of member 52 and will compact the same as at 53. Member 52 is provided at its upper end with an inturned circumferentially disposed shoulder 54 which is provided to form a seal between flange 38 and member 52. The outer diameter of member 52 is also chosen so that when its upper end is compressed as at 53 by flange 36 a gap will be left at 55 between the edges of vent 39 and member 52.

When the suction cleaner and the mixin chamber of my invention are assembled as described with reference to Fig. l and when motor I4 is energized dust and dirt entrained with air flows through hose I6 into elbow 33 and through aperture 4I into filter 46. Filter 45 separates out large pieces of lint, dust, cigarette butts and the like and the air with entrained fine particles of dust and dirt passes through the walls of filter 46 into the space between filter 36 and housing 39. The air with entrained fine particles of dust and dirt then passes downwardly through aperture 31 into the hollow center of porous member 52. The contact between the surface 53 of member p4 and flange 35 prevents air with entrained dust and dirt from passing outwardly through vents 30 before it is intimately mixed with water. In the meantime the water has been turned on and faucet 2i? discharges the same to fall freely into water intake 26 and a water level is built up within receptacle 2! and within porous mem-- ber 52 the height of which depends upon the amount of air passing into porous member 52- and approximates the water level shown in the drawings. In any event the water level is sum-- ciently high to insure that all of the air and entrained dust and dirt passing into porous member 52 is intimately mixed with water before it is discharged through vents 33. The air with entrained dust and dirt passing into porous member 52 must pass through the porous walls thereof before it can be discharged through vents 30 and in passing through these porous walls the entrained dust and dirt is brought into intimate contact with water both within the walls and within vessel 2| and is washed from the air. Porous member 52 efiectively prevents even the finest dust and dirt from escaping through vents 30 in the air stream and at the same time disperses the stream of air entering the mixing chamber so that its contact with the water surrounding porous member 52 does not violently agitate this water and splash the same outwardly through vents 30.

Baille 28 is provided so that air passing upwardly in receptacle 2| is prevented from disturbing the water fiowing into intake and permits the same to flow freely into intake 26 and into receptacle 2|. Inturned portion 29 of bafile 28 prevents porous member 52 from blocking the flow of water from beneath bafiie 29.

When filter 46 becomes filled with large particles of lint, paper, cigarette butts and the like it will usually suffice to detach elbow 43 and reverse housing 39 to pour the same to waste through opening 4|. However, it may be necessary from time to time to clean filter 46 and under such circumstances it is a simple matter to remove housing 39 and vessel 33 from vessel 2| and to remove filter 46 therefrom by depressing spring catches 49 and withdrawing filter 46 through aperture 31. When filter 36 is removed from housing 39, vessel 33 can be readily and easily cleaned and replaced.

It should be particularly noted that in my novel mixing chamber it is not necessary for the discharge opening of faucet 29 to be connected to intake 26 and the mixing chamber operates in a most efiicient manner even though the water discharge from faucet 29 falls freely through space before entering intake 26.

It will now be apparent that by the present invention I have provided a novel and efficient mixing chamber for use with suction cleaners which need not be manually connected to the tap or faucet of a sink or basin; which is of simple con struction and cheap to manufacture; which completely and efiiciently mixes the entrained dust and dirt with water and then discharges the same to drain; which is readily dismounted for cleaning; and in which there is no leaking and splashing around the joints nor from the discharge orifices. Further, it is apparent that the present invention completely satisfies all of the objects enumerated above.

Changes to or modifications of the above described illustrative embodiment of my invention may now be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from my inventive concept. To determine the scope of this invention reference should be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mixing chamber for water and dust for suction cleaners, a water receiving receptacle, means for admitting water to the upper part of said receptacle, means for venting air and water from said receptacle medially of the height thereof, a filter housing nested in said receptacle and spaced internally therefrom having a closed top and an apertured bottom, means in said closed top through which air with entrained particles of dust and dirt may pass, a, filter surrounding said last named means and extending downwardly within said filter housing to adjacent the bottom thereof, a cup-shaped resilient porous member within said recepacle and spaced from the sides thereof and engaging the bottom of said filter housing and means for securing said filter housing and said receptacle together to form an airtight seal therebetween.

2. A mixin chamber as described in claim 1 including a baille extending downwardly and inwardly in said receptacle over said means for admitting water and provided with an inwardly turned portion adjacent its lower end to prevent said porous member from clogging said inlet.

3. A mixing chamber as described in claim 1 including downwardly depending baflles on the outside of said receptacle disposed above and adjacent to said air and water venting means to defiect air and water downwardly from said venting means.

4. A mixing chamber as described in claim 1 in which said filter is removably mounted in said filter housing and is secured therein by spring clips mounted on said filter and engagin the edges of the aperture in the bottom of said filter housing.

5. In a mixing chamber as described in claim 1, cooperating shoulders on said receptacle and on said filter housing, a gasket mounted between said shoulders, and means for compressing said gasket between said shoulders and for locking said filter housing within said receptacle.

6. In a mixing chamber for suction cleaners including a receptacle to receive water, means for venting air from said receptacle above the surface of the water, and means for admitting air with entrained dust and dirt to said receptacle, a cylindrical filter surrounding the air inlet in said receptacle and spaced above the surface of the water therein, and a cup-shaped resilient porous member beneath said filter and in the Water in said receptacle and spaced from the walls thereof to receive the air with entrained dust and dirt from said filter.

7. In a mixing chamber as described in claim 6, means for admitting water to said receptacle outside of and beneath the upper end of said porous member and a baflle disposed within said receptacle to prevent air from passing through said water-admitting means and to prevent said porous member from blocking said water-admitting means.

ARTHUR M. MCGUIRE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 978,739 Griswold Dec. 13, 1910 996,991 Little July 4, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 131,435 Austria Jan. 25, 1933 

